


Day Two Hundred Twenty-Eight || It Never Worked Before

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [228]
Category: Naruto, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-05 20:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20279593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Learning new branches of magic is hard...but she's determined to get it right!





	Day Two Hundred Twenty-Eight || It Never Worked Before

Eventually...something has to go wrong.

For weeks now, Sasuke and his elder brother Itachi have been on the road with two other mages: one of light, and one of water. It all began with a deal: Hinata, the water mage, was desperate to get out of her father’s estate, tired of being disallowed from using her powers and being shielded from what it meant to be el’ven. When she was rescued by the sword-for-hire Sasuke, an igni mage, they happened upon a plan.

Sasuke, you see, was working to raise coin to try and find a better doctor for his brother. Afflicted with an unknown ailment, Itachi’s health had been steadily declining for years...and Sasuke was getting desperate.

Hinata, as it turned out, was just who he needed to run into...for she was privy to a secret in their little town. Years ago, a terra mage had shown up with a little girl in tow...one with white hair and eyes.

A lux mage. Those blessed by Luxeria, and holding great healing power. But they were thought extinct, and she was kept secret to keep her safe.

Hinata, by some stroke of luck, had happened upon her, and the two struck a fast friendship, despite the wariness of their guardians.

And so, she made Sasuke a deal. She would enlist the help of the lux mage she knew in order to heal his brother...and he, in turn, would teach her all he knew about the energy of their world used to bend elements to their will: ven.

He quickly agreed.

It wasn’t an easy deal to strike, given the involvement of another person. But the lux mage eagerly agreed on her own condition...that they take the elder brother to the old Luxerian capital to better his chances: where she could expand her knowledge and cure him completely.

And so, the four of them set out on a journey Sasuke hadn’t wholly agreed to. Healing his brother had been his demand...and while Itachi’s hasn’t worsened yet, neither is he yet whole. She insists she needs more time, and more knowledge surely holed up in the citadel.

But Sasuke’s grown less and less approving of this endeavor...and it only gets worse when Itachi’s health takes a turn.

“You said you could heal him!”

“I can,” the light mage insists. “But some factors are out of my control, and -”

“Then you lied!”

“Sasuke!” Hinata cuts in, taking his arm as he wrenches from her grip. “She’s doing all she can!”

Breath heaving through his nose, he glowers. “...figure it out,” he growls, pointing to the healer and stomping off from camp.

Hinata sighs, holding up a hand as she goes to follow. “...I’ll talk to him. Stay here and t-take care of Itachi. He’ll pull through…” Setting her jaw, she takes the same path away from camp.

She finds him by a stream, pacing and summoning crackling flames to his fists. So far, he hasn’t set anything ablaze, and...she’d like to keep it that way. At least with her water she can (probably) put anything out. “...Sasuke?”

“Why do you always side with her?”

“I’m not siding with anyone -”

“Yes you are! Every mistake she makes you excuse!”

Rather than get angry, she folds her arms. “Sasuke...I understand you’re worried about your brother...but think about the pressure she’s under. Not only does an entire element possibly rest on her shoulders, but she has _your_ expectations now, too. She’s doing the best she can...she’s only one person, and she hasn’t even been formally trained. Yet look at all she’s done! She’s one of the last of her kind...please be patient.”

“How can I be patient when my brother’s life is on the line? He means _everything_ to me, Hinata! If I lose him…”

“I would feel the same with my sister,” she offers gently. “...we both know what it is to hide, and to feel loss. I know this isn’t easy...for _any_ of us. She’s doing all she can. He’ll be all right. I know he will.”

Sasuke just scoffs...but the flames go out, and he folds his own arms and glowers across the water.

After a pause, she cautiously steps up beside him. “...why don’t you tell me something about ven? Would it help take your mind off your brother…?”

“I’d rather set this whole place aflame,” he mutters.

“That would be rather c-counterproductive.”

That earns a cool glance. “...did we cover sibling elements yet?”

“Yes. And child elements.”

“Give one a try. One you haven’t touched on before.”

“M-me?”

“Yes, you. I’ve already branched into lightning and mastered it. Let’s see you try.”

“Um...a-all right…” She pauses. “...I’ve done a little with ice. It actually was fairly easy.”

“What about flora? It should be even easier.”

“Well, I did try a few times, but...for some reason, I never got any response.” Looking around, she finds a patch of healthy grass, kneeling in it...and then pausing. “What should I, um...do?”

“Whatever you want,” he replies dismissively, waving a hand.

Pouting a bit at his attitude, she plants palms against it, feeling the soft stalks and leaves. “...okay...um…” Ever so carefully, she feeds energy into it, willing it to grow.

...nothing.

Her brow furrows, jaw setting. All right...maybe that’s not a good place to start. Looking around, she instead moves to a tree with draping branches. Taking a deep, steadying breath...she tries to will them into moving, reaching with her ven and beckoning.

A gentle breeze ruffles them, but nothing else.

“Ugh, I don’t get it! Why won’t it listen to me…?”

“You’re just not giving the right feeling.”

“...feeling?”

“Every element _feels_ different. Like fire is hungry, water is flowing.”

“Well...what does flora feel like?”

“No idea. But you’ll figure it out.”

“Easy for you to say,” she mutters. Deciding on a new tactic, she lets her hand rest against the tree’s trunk, and closes her eyes, letting her energy gently pry into the plant’s. _A feeling...what’s your feeling…?_

Long minutes pass in stillness and silence as Hinata communicates via energy. She can feel...something. A kind of slow, steady...pulse. Almost like a heartbeat…? Well, she supposes that makes sense. Plants, like animals, live and wither. So maybe…

Eyes still closed, she brings up her other hand...and tries to mimic the sensation, offering her energy to the flora. For a moment, nothing happens...and then she feels...she feels…!

“...oh!” With a flutter, the energy dispels as it overwhelms her. Stumbling back half a step, her eyes go wide.

Where she’d been touching, new branches have sprouted, limber and covered with leaves.

The pair stare, Hinata’s eyes round in amazement. “I...I did it…!”

In spite of himself, Sasuke manages a hint of a smile. “...so you did.”

“I did it! It...it never worked before…!” Gently cradling the new growth, she smiles from ear to ear, looking back to Sasuke. “Isn’t it beautiful…?”

Something shifts in his expression. “...yeah. Yeah, it is.”

A strange quiet falls between them, and Hinata feels herself grow a bit...awkward. Clearing her throat, she averts her gaze. “W-well, I...I’ll have to try again later. I used a bit too much ven by accident…”

“Be careful. You can kill yourself with an unintended use of energy.”

“I know…” Letting her grip fall from the tree, she asks, “Should we...head back?”

That earns a sigh. “...I suppose so.”

“...she won’t be upset - she knows you were just worried. But...we should make sure they’re all right.”

“Hn…”

Together, they return to the campsite. No longer flushed with fever, Itachi sits up, seemingly back to his typical self.

And, head in his lap...the lux mage sleeps, clearly exhausted.

The older brother looks up as they approach. “...Sasuke.”

“Brother…!”

A finger to his lips begs for quiet. “...I’m all right. But I think, come morning…you owe someone an apology.”

Jaw clenching for a moment, he almost makes to argue...but then softens. “...I’m just glad you’re all right.”

Smiling, Itachi nods. “...get some rest. We’ve another leg ahead of us tomorrow. I can keep watch for a time - I’m quite awake now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very. You too, Hinata. I’ll wake you in a few hours.”

Though they both hesitate, the pair then acquiesce, taking to their bedrolls. In the quiet broken only by the crackle of the fire, they eventually find sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Another piece in my original fantasy verse! A bit of tension in our usual group...poor Sasuke just gets all riled up when the slightest thing goes wrong with his brother. But at least he has Hinata to help him keep a steady head!
> 
> Anyway, that's all for this piece - thanks for reading!


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